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Border closures beat three BBL players

3 minute read

Alex Carey, Harry Conway and Nic Maddinson will each miss their team's next BBL match after being locked out of Queensland by COVID-19 border closures.

ALEX CAREY.
ALEX CAREY. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

Alex Carey will be among the first group of players to miss Big Bash games after failing to beat border closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Adelaide Strikers confirmed on Tuesday captain Carey and quick Harry Conway will miss Wednesday night's clash with Brisbane.

Melbourne Stars batsman Nic Maddinson will also miss Boxing Day's grand-final rematch against the Sydney Sixers for the same reason.

The trio were in Sydney for the Australia A tour match against the Indians until December 14, which falls into the window of the outbreak.

Cricket Australia made an effort to fly other players involved in that match out of Hobart early on Sunday night, in a bid to beat the border closure.

That group included Hobart's Ben McDermott and the Melbourne Renegades' Will Sutherland.

However, given the Strikers were playing the Sixers in Hobart until late Sunday night, they were unable to get to Queensland before the border closed at 1am Monday.

Maddinson, meanwhile, was on leave from the Stars and therefore could not arrange travel into Queensland on time.

It's believed the Strikers and Stars tried to get exemptions for the players but were unable to do so.

It means Carey and Conway will stay in home isolation in Adelaide to rejoin the team for the clash with Perth Scorchers on December 28.

Maddinson will be available for the Stars on the 29th against the Sydney Thunder.

The trio are the only players impacted by the border closures, with the Brisbane Heat's Australia A players having arrived back in Brisbane earlier and passing COVID tests.

"Other members of the Australia A squad required to travel to Queensland for BBL10 matches arrived before the border closure," CA said in a statement

Officials have already had to stop players from visiting their family homes while in Queensland at Christmas due to fears over the Sydney outbreak.

CA must also still work out how to contend with the Sydney leg of the tournament in January and whether to move games elsewhere.

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